Zahi Hawass, the head of the Supreme Council for Antiquities, told the parliamentary committee of culture and tourism that he decided against the move "out of respect for the sentiments of the people of Luxor," Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported.

Hawass could not be immediately reached for comment.

Antiquities officials plan to X-ray the 3,300-year-old mummy to assess the need for restoration and also to attempt to discover the cause of the early death of Tutankhamum, who ruled for nine years before dying at age 17.

Hawass, who first floated the idea of examining and restoring the mummy, initially suggested it would have to be transferred to Cairo. He later said the mummy, which consists of scattered bones, would be examined before a decision was made about moving it.

But the plan immediately raised angry opposition in Luxor, site of numerous pharaohs' tombs and massive temple complexes.

Opponents said the removal will be a blow to local tourism and was also a violation of religious rites forbidding the removal of bodies from their tombs.

Luxor lawmaker Baha Abu al-Hamad Othman told The Associated Press that he had filed an urgent appeal to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to stop the transfer of the mummy to Cairo.

The parliamentary committee - made up of Hawass and officials from the culture and interior ministries - convened Monday to discuss his appeal.

Hawass told the committee a team of 60 Egyptian archeologists will perform the examination - the X-ray by a German CT scan machine donated by Siemens and National Geographic - and carry out the restoration work. No foreign experts will be on the team, MENA quoted him as saying.

Othman said he doubted the real intentions behind wanting to further examine the mummy.

quote:

---

Originally posted by ausar:
King Tut's mummy will not be moved for examination
CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - The mummy of the ancient King Tutankhamun will not be removed from its tomb in the southern city of Luxor for examination and restoration due to local opposition, Egypt's chief archaeologist told parliament Monday.

Zahi Hawass, the head of the Supreme Council for Antiquities, told the parliamentary committee of culture and tourism that he decided against the move "out of respect for the sentiments of the people of Luxor," Egypt's Middle East News Agency reported.

Hawass could not be immediately reached for comment.

Antiquities officials plan to X-ray the 3,300-year-old mummy to assess the need for restoration and also to attempt to discover the cause of the early death of Tutankhamum, who ruled for nine years before dying at age 17.

Hawass, who first floated the idea of examining and restoring the mummy, initially suggested it would have to be transferred to Cairo. He later said the mummy, which consists of scattered bones, would be examined before a decision was made about moving it.

But the plan immediately raised angry opposition in Luxor, site of numerous pharaohs' tombs and massive temple complexes.

Opponents said the removal will be a blow to local tourism and was also a violation of religious rites forbidding the removal of bodies from their tombs.

Luxor lawmaker Baha Abu al-Hamad Othman told The Associated Press that he had filed an urgent appeal to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to stop the transfer of the mummy to Cairo.

The parliamentary committee - made up of Hawass and officials from the culture and interior ministries - convened Monday to discuss his appeal.

Hawass told the committee a team of 60 Egyptian archeologists will perform the examination - the X-ray by a German CT scan machine donated by Siemens and National Geographic - and carry out the restoration work. No foreign experts will be on the team, MENA quoted him as saying.

Othman said he doubted the real intentions behind wanting to further examine the mummy.

http://www.brunei-online.com/bb/wed/nov24w28.htm

---

What do you guys think is the (ulterior?)motive for preventing the examination of the mummy? What is the significance of only allowing Egyptian archieologist to study the mummies? I'm very suspicious as to the motive.

------------------
Time Will Tell!- Bob Marley